I've seen a shuttle or 2 fly into Sheppard AFB outside of Wichita Falls Texas.

The whole 747 piggyback ride thing is just amazing to see. It also speaks volumes on how much weight a 747 can really carryIn a rich man's house there is no place to spit but his face.
Diogenes Of Sinope

For those who grew up through the "Space Race", will we see a replacement?

Falcon 9 placed in orbit the Dragon spacecraft, which is able to come back with materials and scientific samples. It should qualify for astronauts too. This from SpaceX of Elon Musk.
Orbital Sciences Corporation is next in list.American Venture Capital is ready to get paid from NASA. NASA has canceled all material ferry contracts with Roskosmos.
Human flights may come next.
Tullio

I've read that the secondary payload of Falcon 9, a communication satellite that was to be placed in high orbit, could not be reach its planned orbit because of the failure of one of the 9 Merlin engines and was de-orbited after 4 days of testing its electronics, which was perfect. It was insured and there will be a new Falcon flight. Space means also facing failures, this time without loss of human lives. Let us not forget the astronauts and cosmonauts who gave their lives.
Tullio

Totally amazing pictures ...... Scrapping the shuttles ahead of their time will go down in history as the biggest mistake America ever made in the last 100 years. Obama deserves to lose the Presidency for that alone. OK the ISS is now funded until 2020, but that is scant compensation.

Totally amazing pictures ...... Scrapping the shuttles ahead of their time will go down in history as the biggest mistake America ever made in the last 100 years. Obama deserves to lose the Presidency for that alone. OK the ISS is now funded until 2020, but that is scant compensation.

Chris that is simply not true, President Bush announced the retirement of the Shuttles in 2004 and My proof is Here:

Our first goal is to complete the International Space Station by 2010. We will finish what we have started, we will meet our obligations to our 15 international partners on this project. We will focus our future research aboard the station on the long-term effects of space travel on human biology. The environment of space is hostile to human beings. Radiation and weightlessness pose dangers to human health, and we have much to learn about their long-term effects before human crews can venture through the vast voids of space for months at a time. Research on board the station and here on Earth will help us better understand and overcome the obstacles that limit exploration. Through these efforts we will develop the skills and techniques necessary to sustain further space exploration.

To meet this goal, we will return the Space Shuttle to flight as soon as possible, consistent with safety concerns and the recommendations of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board. The Shuttle's chief purpose over the next several years will be to help finish assembly of the International Space Station. In 2010, the Space Shuttle -- after nearly 30 years of duty -- will be retired from service.

Our second goal is to develop and test a new spacecraft, the Crew Exploration Vehicle, by 2008, and to conduct the first manned mission no later than 2014. The Crew Exploration Vehicle will be capable of ferrying astronauts and scientists to the Space Station after the shuttle is retired. But the main purpose of this spacecraft will be to carry astronauts beyond our orbit to other worlds. This will be the first spacecraft of its kind since the Apollo Command Module.

Fair enough Vic, seems I wasn't quite right, but Obama signed the final papers to do so, and the decision could have been overturned, and I think it should have been. I still think it was a mistake by the USA.

Fair enough Vic, seems I wasn't quite right, but Obama signed the final papers to do so, and the decision could have been overturned, and I think it should have been. I still think it was a mistake by the USA.

and to conduct the first manned mission no later than 2014.

We will see.

I agree, as can't see that happening within the next 26 months. 2015/16 maybe.....

Fair enough Vic, seems I wasn't quite right, but Obama signed the final papers to do so, and the decision could have been overturned, and I think it should have been. I still think it was a mistake by the USA.

and to conduct the first manned mission no later than 2014.

We will see.

I agree, as can't see that happening within the next 26 months. 2015/16 maybe.....

I think Bush was being optimistic, but We'll see, SpaceX is still working on a man rated capsule to go to the ISS and NASA is still working on it's program, that to go to Mars...

Meanwhile the Shuttle Endeavour continues to inch up the Science Center in the Exposition Park area on a zig zag course on MLK Blvd and yes It's tight in there as the trees got trimmed just a bit, plus there are more than a few people there too...H.R. 1469 makes SSI, EITC, ACA, Medicaid, SNAP, LiHeap, Heap, etc, etc, etc, all temporary, w/a 5yr lifetime limit like TANF! Can't work? Die!!

The Shuttle Endeavour is about a mile away and is about to clear the last of the trees that are in the way as MLK Blvd widens as the Shuttle gets near Vermont and as You can see it's crowded, no one can touch the shuttle though as it's out of reach for clearance, soon the Shuttle will make a left hand turn on to Menlo from MLK Blvd.H.R. 1469 makes SSI, EITC, ACA, Medicaid, SNAP, LiHeap, Heap, etc, etc, etc, all temporary, w/a 5yr lifetime limit like TANF! Can't work? Die!!